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10.28.2011

Brett bought this jacket long before we even thought of having kids. Brett has been a Cardinals fan since he was five years old and he couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy this jacket when we stumbled upon it in a thrift store. It's been hanging in the back of our closet for almost three years.

10.19.2011

You are three months old Madeline. Why do you insist on growing so fast? I feel that at any moment I'm going to turn around and you'll be walking, riding a bike, or driving.

At three months you are full of smiles and giggles. You are so expressive. When you smile your entire face lights up. From behind, I can tell that you are smiling by the way the top of your head looks. Your family and friends can't help but smile when they see you. You brighten everyone's day.

You love talking. We can't really understand what you are saying yet, but we know you are pretty passionate about whatever it is. We ask you questions and you respond as if you know what we're talking about. You love making sounds and mimicking Daddy and me. You especially love to say "Oooowaaaah!"

We're reading Harry Potter now because a nurse told me that novels are best for babies your age. You love watching me while I read and I can see you moving your mouth and tongue trying to figure out how to make new sounds.

You are a big girl and you keep growing and growing. You are 16 lbs and around 25 1/2 inches long. You are wearing size two diapers and six month clothing. Some 3-6 month outfits fit while others can't stretch long enough or wide enough for you.

We're not sure what color your eyes are going to be but at the moment they are still light. We think you may beat the odds and have blue eyes rather than the hazel eyes that Daddy and I have.

You sleep for six-seven hours at night and then fall right back to sleep for another three hours after I feed you. Thanks for being such a great sleeper!

You are getting stronger and stronger everyday. You can sit on your own for short bits of time and you love standing up on daddy's lap. You are starting to use the Johnny Jump Up that Grandma Birkeland gave you. You're not jumping a lot yet, but you love being able to stand and twirl.

You have the happiest laugh. You laugh the most when we play peek-a-boo or when you first wake up in the morning.

10.18.2011

Brett's final class at BYU was last night. He won't officially graduate till December when he finishes his student teaching, but Maddie and I still wanted to give him a little surprise to celebrate the occasion.

10.01.2011

One of my favorite summer traditions as a child was when we would bring our TV out on the front lawn along with an abundance of blankets and pillows. We called it a drive-in movie.

No drive-in was complete without caramel popcorn, red licorice, and friends. Almost every Friday and Saturday night the neighbor kids could count on the McAllisters having a drive-in the front yard.

Some summers we had a theme. I remember one summer our front yard theater only showed musicals. Another summer, only Disney movies. Another summer, only the classics like Some Like it Hot, Harvey, and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

As time went on our make-shift theater got more advanced. We'd bring out the couch, we'd hook up loud speakers, we upgraded the TV, etc. When my family moved out and my college roommates moved in, we made the term "drive-in" much more literal.

There's another reason why drive-in movies hold a special place in my heart. At the end of my freshman year of college, Brett and I went on our first date. We made caramel corn in my kitchen, picked up some Twizzlers at the grocery store, packed up my laptop and blankets, and set up a drive-in movie at the press box at East High School. We watched Roman Holiday. It was shortly after Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck kissed after escaping the police, that the battery on my laptop died and we ended up talking late into the night and doing a little kissing of our own.

For these reasons and many more, I love drive-in movies. This summer we decided to continue the tradition and introduce Madeline to my favorite summer pastime. This summer definitely didn't disappoint.

Brett hung a white sheet between two volleyball posts and we borrowed a projector. We pulled out surround sound speakers and brought the trampoline over so it was front and center. And of course, we didn't forget the caramel corn or Twizzlers (thanks to my Mom who makes it better than anyone, it is her secret recipe after all).

Maddie loved it. Each night that we had the drive-in she was a perfect angel baby. She seemed to really enjoy the music of Up! and Tangled. But we were surprised that on the night we showed Pirates of the Caribbean she was completely captivated my the film. Her eyes didn't move from the screen. She was so into it. It was adorable.

It is sad to see summer go, because with it goes our drive-in movie season. We look forward to opening up our back-yard theater again next year with a few more upgrades.